How To Fail At Avoiding Your Best Friend's Brother

(Regina's point of view) The sun was barely above its horizon when I got up. It was the first day of senior year and I couldn't be more scared and excited than I was. Stranding to my younger brother's room, I took in the scent of my mother's favorite cologne which I had sprayed around the house two nights ago. It was my little way of coping with their death. Losing both of my parents at once broke me beyond words could imagine, but I was getting used to it now. Now, after two years, it doesn't get better. You just learn to live with the pain. “Rise and shine, sleepy head” I walked into Kelvin's room without knocking, he wouldn't have heard anyway. He sleeps like a dead man. “Go away Regina,” he turns on his bed and pulls the duvet higher. His little act earned a little tug on my lips. Ignoring him, I opened the curtains of his room and let sunlight into the room. It would do the trick just fine, Kelvin hated sleeping with any light peeping in. “You're the worst,” he sat up and glared at me, I offered him a small smile. “Get up or we won't go on our morning walk, we're behind time as it is” I informed him as I made my way out of the room. “Regina?” My brows raised in acknowledgment, “Let's skip the morning walk today, yeah?” I nodded, “Yeah, just go shower. You stink.” He threw a pillow at me and I gave him the middle finger. Our relationship was like any typical brother-sister relationship, filled with fights and teasing but there's no one I loved more than Kelvin. He was my only family member in this world, at least the only one I recognized. Dressed in my usual faded blue jeans paired with a pale pink top, I smiled at the mirror. Anyone could tell the clothes were past their time but it's better to be some seasons behind in dressing than to be deep in debt. We didn't have much, most of the money I made from my part-time job went into paying bills. Luckily my parents paid Kelvin's fees till he finished high school upfront and I was on a scholarship. If not, however, was I supposed to cover all the expenses? I would have had to— The toasts were done, I plated mine and Kelvin's with some bacon and eggs. Breakfast was eaten in silence, Kelvin was on his phone throughout and I was deep in thought. Some words haven't left my head for the past few weeks since I went to my best friend, David's house. His foster brother, Ace said them. He said I seemed like one of those charity cases and asked if someone donated my clothes to me because it doesn't seem like something I would wear, he said it so dismissively like he wasn't basically a charity case too. I've heard worse but it just really hurt coming from him even though we were just meeting and didn't know each other— I at least didn't know him. The reason it annoyed me so much was because someone just came to him, said things about me to him and he just believed them and made accusations based on them. Shaking my head and focusing my gaze back on my brother, it was about time we left the house. Usually, we walk to his school first before I turn back and go to my school. It was stressful and unnecessary but something we always did because of me. Kelvin didn't like it but didn't force me to stop, he knew it was my own twisted way of grieving. But that doesn't stop him from complaining about it, “You do know I'm not a kid you have to walk to school anymore, right?” Patting his head, I nodded. He moved further away from me and scowled, “Stop patting me like I'm a dog okay?” He rolled his eyes and I laughed. “You teenagers and trying to act tough” “Like you're not 18, a teenager” “At least I'm not 14” he eyes me with his usual sass, I couldn't help it throw my head back laughing. “Just don't try hugging me” “You know I will,” Moving closer to him, I engulfed him in my usual hug. He muttered some curses under his breath but still hugged me back. “Take care champ,” I saluted him, the way he used to like when we were kids before walking off. The smile on my face grew smaller as I walked away till it finally disappeared. *** “Keep on roaming the streets like you're a serial killer hunting for her next victim and you'll definitely get arrested or something,” My best friend, Davis yelled as he spotted me. Jogging towards me. “Good morning, nice to see you too” he hung his arm around my neck and we walked into the school together. “I've missed you,’’ Davis was the touchy feely type. “We saw each other last week,” he rolled his eyes. “That seems like an eternity ago,” he stopped walking and stepped in front of me. “Regina,” holding my hand, “I'm truly sorry about what my foster brother said, he's just getting used to the new environment” With a small smile, “It's fine, I barely even thought about it,” LIE. Davis returned my smile and pat me on the shoulder, “I have to bounce, catch you later” I nodded but he didn't wait to see it, he was gone in a flash. I moved silently to my locker, making a mental note of the things I had to do when I bumped into something—someone. “You again?” The voice which I remembered oh too clearly said. “Are you blind or just have a fetish for bumping into someone?” He looked just like he did a couple of weeks ago. What was I expecting? People's appearances don't change much in a couple of weeks. “Sorry, my bad” I wasn't going to get riled up or argue in the middle of the hallway on a bright Monday morning. “So you can apologize, I thought —” I didn't wait to hear the remaining shenanigan that came out of his mouth. My life was hard enough, I didn't need his drama. “Regina Campbell?” A soft voice called behind me. “I'm she” I didn't recognize the girl, she looked like a junior. “The principal calls for you” “Oh,” she nods and leaves. With a sigh I head to the principal's office. The principal, Mrs. Rhea, had been kind enough towards me since my parents death. Not necessarily nice but tolerable. I did anything she asked as I needed her approval to get the scholarship into Stanford to study medicine. “Miss Regina, nice of you to join us,” she smiled at me as I walked in. Someone else was seated opposite her. “Good morning Mrs. Rhea” “Mrs. Rhea, I'll need you to tutor Mister Ace here,” it better not be the Ace I know. Taking a look at the guy in the room, my heart dropped. He gave me a mischievous smirk, looking at me like a subordinate instead of an equal. “I can't ma”